New Chapters
by Hogwarts Duo
Summary: Robbie decides to plan a little surprise for Laura: their first getaway as a true couple. Set after Ramblin' Boy, but it's not necessary to have seen that to understand the story.


**New Chapters**

**A/N: **Set after Ramblin' Boy, but it's not necessary to see that episode to understand the story. It's a take on what might have happened after the investigation was over. Hope you will enjoy and feedback/reviews are always welcome.

He couldn't get the idea out of his mind. It plagued him night and day, invaded his dreams, and slipped into his thoughts at random intervals throughout the day. He could easily see it all coming together and how easily it could be done. He could see her face when he told her, see the sparkle in her eyes, hear her soft laughter, and even taste her sweet kisses. His own smile broadened as he thought back to the kisses they had shared, the nights of holding her in his arms, the happiness he now felt just at the mention of her name.

And with those things in mind, Robbie Lewis knew he wouldn't let go of the idea until he saw it to fruition. He had to know if Laura's reaction would be anywhere near what he imagined in his mind, so he started making inquiries and plans. He wanted everything to be perfect, perfect for her, for their first weekend away … together as a couple.

Since they'd embarked on this more personal, more intimate relationship, everything seemed to be brighter, lighter even, if that was possible. She was his first thought in the morning and the last before he went to sleep each night. If she wasn't snuggled in his arms at the close of the day, he made sure to phone her to say goodnight. He wanted her voice to be the last he heard at the end of the day, her face to be the first he saw each morning. He couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't felt this happy, this carefree, this much in love since his early days with Val. And that, that one thought, was how he knew he was deeply and whole-heartedly in love with Laura Hobson. Her presence in his life seemed to put everything else into perspective. Suddenly, he was no longer unhappy, lonely, or melancholy. He had a spring in his step, a smile always on his lips, and a certain gleam in his eyes. She had given him all those things and so much more, more than mere words could describe.

It took the better part of the week to make the other arrangements necessary for this particular weekend. He'd had to plan and work around both of their schedules since he wanted this to be a surprise for her. It had been no easy feat, for certain. They had developed a routine of sharing meals together when possible, going with James for a pint after work, taking walks along the canal, or simply watching a program on television that they both enjoyed. But, he knew in the end, it would all be worth it. The look on her face would be worth it all, he hoped. He'd not had a chance to plan a surprise for a woman in so very long, but he and Laura seemed to share so much in common. He just knew, in his heart, that she would approve of his choices and would be very pleased with the thoughts behind them.

After a week of planning, Friday had finally arrived and he couldn't tell if he was more excited or more nervous about the weekend plans he'd made. He had told Laura that he'd meet her in her office after work and they'd go grab a bite to eat somewhere. When she'd asked him where they were going, he'd simply told her that he thought they could enjoy something simple, a curry or some other type of take away. He breathed easier when that thought seemed to appease her. She smiled, kissed his cheek, and then disappeared into the building, going to her own office while he went to his.

Instead of enjoying a nice, tasty lunch somewhere, Robbie had dashed home to pick up his bag, then to Laura's to pack a few things she might need. He wanted no reason for either of them to have to return to his flat or her home for the rest of the weekend. Her favorite jeans, shirts, shoes were all packed with care, along with her toiletries. He'd even been bold enough to sort through her lingerie drawer and pack a few of her unmentionables and a particular pale blue shirt and lounge pants that she wore especially for him. He paused in his packing and brought the shirt to his nose, inhaling the soft scent of her perfume. He didn't think she would have cause to wear it, or much of anything else he packed, but he chose to tuck her perfume bottle safely away in the suitcase, just on the offbeat chance that she might need or want it.

His next stop had been the grocer. A few nice bottles of wine, some cheese and fruits, bread, eggs, milk, and a few other items rounded out his list. He'd already made arrangements to have a lovely meal delivered the next afternoon for their Saturday evening. Then, on Sunday, he thought he'd pack a picnic, if it wasn't raining, and they could take one of the boats down the canal and find a nice, secluded spot to round out their weekend. He'd tried to think of everything, even going so far as to making a list and keeping it stored in his wallet so she wouldn't stumble across it on his desk or at home.

After dropping off the cases and the groceries at his surprise location, Robbie went back to work. He'd mentioned, in passing, to James that he would be unavailable all weekend. The young man had pressed him for answers, tried to trick him into giving him details, but Robbie had been cleverer. He'd made it clear that if anything happened this particular weekend, his mobile would be turned off and if a medical examiner was needed, they could bloody well phone Angus Rawbone, which had earned him a very disapproving look from Hathaway. Even Jean Innocent had been informed that he and Laura were going away for the weekend, though he stressed that it was still a surprise to Dr. Hobson. Jean couldn't help but smile, congratulating Robbie on this new development. He'd merely rolled his eyes and tried to brush off her questions as best as he could.

After the long and somewhat hectic day, Robbie checked his watch one last time and phoned Laura. "I'm just finishing up, love. How long until you're ready to leave?"

Laura looked at her watch and smiled. "Give me ten minutes and I'm all yours," she answered brightly. I need to fax a report to London and then tidy up my desk," she said as she started shuffling the papers about in order to save some time. "Have you decided on dinner?"

"Ah, about that. I thought we might stop at that little restaurant with the picnic tables that you like so much. We could have a drink there and enjoy a bit of the night air, then, when we're hungry, we can discuss dinner together. How's that sound to you?"

"Sounds like a perfect plan to me. See you in a few minutes." She ended the call and shook her head. Robbie could certainly read her like a book. She'd been thinking of doing just that all afternoon and she couldn't wait to give him a hug and a very warm, welcoming kiss when he came to escort her to dinner. Since they'd first embarked on this new chapter in his life, in her life too, really, she couldn't ever remember being happier. Even doing the mundane things like watching television or simply taking a stroll gave her more pleasure now because she had him to share it with. She'd waited for him to work through his pain, his loss, and now she was being rewarded for her patience. He was rewarding her every single day with his words, his love, his touches, his entire self, and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

"Hello, love. Ready to leave?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind and dropping a soft kiss to her cheek.

She leaned back into his arms and sighed happily. "I am, indeed." She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a passionate kiss which told him exactly how ready she was to leave the office. "It's been much too long since I saw you this morning. I missed you, as schoolgirl silly as that might sound."

"It's not silly, pet. I've missed you, too." He leaned down and claimed a kiss for himself: soft, slow, tender. "Let's go get our weekend started, hmm? I've got a raging thirst, the first stages of hunger, and a beautiful woman on my arm. Looks like it's going to be a lovely evening, indeed," he said with a smirk.

"Such a charmer, you are, Robbie Lewis. How on earth do you not have ladies falling and swooning at your feet with such kind words?"

"Ah, that's easy, love. I save me best lines and kisses for the one girl who has my heart. You see, she's this lovely pathologist with blond hair, blue eyes, and an amazing smile … yes that's the one, that's the smile." He leaned down and kissed her again, feeling much more relaxed than he had just moments before entering her office. "Now, allow this poor copper the chance to wine and dine his lady love down at the local …"

She took his arm, switched off the lights, and guided him out the door, unaware of what was in store for her later.

After a quiet evening of drinks and followed by haddock and chips down by the river, Robbie wrapped his arm around Laura and pulled her snugly against him. "It's a lovely evening, don't you think?"

She rested her head against him and gazed up at the stars. "Yes, it is. Much nicer than it's supposed to be tomorrow, if we can trust the weather forecasters. Supposed to rain for most of the day, I believe."

"Sounds like a lovely day for staying indoors," he said softly against the shell of her ear. "I can think of one or two ways to entertain ourselves. Wouldn't you agree?"

Her reply was to wrap her arm around him and give him a tight squeeze followed by a teasing kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Indeed, Robbie. We need to do a spot of housecleaning, for starters. I can take one room and you can take another. Or we can go to your flat and pack up a few things to bring over to the house, if you'd rather."

"Actually, I had a better idea." He kissed the tip of her nose. "By chance, do you have your phone with you?" When she nodded that she did, he stretched out his palm, face up, and silently asked to see it. She placed her phone, unquestioningly, into his hand and he promptly turned off her mobile then showed her that he was doing the same with his. "This weekend is about us. No cleaning, no work, no demands or pressures, just us." And, after a very gentle kiss, he stood and took her hands in his.

"You once told me, sitting on this very bench, that you know how to show a girl a good time. I never thought I'd actually get a chance to experience any of that with you," she admitted. "I thought you might be forever beyond my reach."

"Not at all, Laura. I simply had to wait until I was ready. I didn't want to hurt you and ruin our friendship by moving things forward before I was truly ready to start over, start fresh with you." He gave her hands a gentle squeeze and began walking along the riverbank. "But, all that waiting is over now, isn't it? We're finally together and happy, at least I hope I make you happy," he said with some small amount of hesitancy.

"Robbie Lewis, you make me incredibly happy every single day." She stopped just short of saying the words that immediately ran through her mind. She'd said them to him in her mind a hundred times already, but she'd never actually said them aloud, nor had he. She knew he cared for her deeply, cherished her in ways she'd only ever imagined. He'd been gentle, tender, kind, and passionate with her, but he had yet to say those three little words that would so easily slip from her tongue if she wasn't careful. She was never quite sure why she never said those words. Perhaps she was waiting on him to say them first, make some formal declaration of his love for her. Regardless, it did not change the fact that she was deeply in love with this man and even if he never spoke those three little words, the meaning behind his every word and deed was clear. He loved her.

"You all right, Laura? Only you seemed a million miles away just then." He watched as she gave him that brilliant smile and her eyes shone brightly despite the falling darkness around them. Reassured that she was fine, he took her hand and guided her down the well-worn path. "Fancy a walk along the scenic route on the way home?"

"I'd love it." She wrapped her arm around his waist and easily slipped into step beside him, allowing him to set the pace of their walk, slow and steady. Their conversation was light and their steps were slow. Snatches of conversations from the occupants of the various house boats were proving rather interesting as they made their way towards the more secluded boats. "My, my look at that one," she commented, pointing up ahead to a particular boat lit with hundreds of white fairy lights. "Isn't it pretty all lit up tonight?"

Robbie smiled. "Yes, it is. Wonder what sort of people are sharing that particular boat this evening? It looks all decked out for something special," he said, remarking on the lights and the soft music apparently coming from inside.

She leaned against him and her tone took on a wistful sound. "Probably young lovers, too poor to afford much of a holiday but keen on being together, shutting out the world, spending a lazy weekend together. Quite nice, actually, when you think about it. Maybe we should …"

He stopped and gathered her into his arms. "Should what, pet? Maybe we should … ?"

"Nothing," was her reply as she leaned against him, swaying slowly to the music coming from the boat, resting her head on his chest. "Just a silly notion is all."

"I'll tell you what I think we should do." He waited until she leaned back and looked up into his face. "I think we should step inside and start our lazy weekend, as you so aptly put it." He turned her around so that she was now facing the boat. "Surprise, pet. Thought we might shut out the world for a bit this weekend and simply enjoy being together. No phones, no teles, no distractions. Just us."

"Robbie, you're … you're serious? But, what about …?"

"There's nothing you could possibly need that isn't already here, love. I packed you a bag at lunch. We have food and wine to last the weekend. I've already arranged for dinner tomorrow night to be delivered. All that's lacking is you and me. So, what do you say? Care to join me for a lazy, rainy weekend, some good food, nice wine, soft music, poetry, and a small bed just big enough for the two of us to snuggle quite nicely while listening to the raindrops hitting the roof and the river?"

Laura wasted no time wrapping her arms around him and kissing him soundly on the lips, pulling him with her towards the boat. When she felt they'd reached the edge, she broke the kiss and smiled up at him. "This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, Robbie Lewis, and you were right. You really do know how to show a girl a good time."

He felt his cheeks warm with the compliments, and he knew he was grinning from ear to ear. "Then, by all means, allow me to show you a few more of my talents, Laura Hobson. Perhaps, by the end of the weekend, we might change that from a good time to something along the lines of satisfying, fulfilling, rewarding, exhausting …"

She covered his mouth with her hand and guided him onto the boat. "Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much, Inspector? Less talk, if you please, and more action."

"Yes, Doctor. Anything you say, anything you say."

Later that evening, as they were wrapped warmly in each other's arms, Robbie placed a tender kiss to her bare shoulder, one to each of her cheeks, her eyes, and her lips. He took a moment to stare down at her, drinking in the beauty of her flushed cheeks and mussed hair, knowing he was the reason for that beautiful sight. "I love you, Laura, first as my friend but now, so much more. I love you, and I want you to help me write the rest of the chapters of my life."

A single tear escaped her eye and rolled down the side, only to be caught by his finger. He knew her well enough to know that it was not an unhappy tear. "I love you, too, Robbie, and I look forward to writing each and every one of those chapters together. I have a feeling we're going to need a lot of pages to write down our adventures, if this weekend is any indication of what's in store," she said with a giggle.

"Ah, love, this is just the beginning." And, in more ways than one, that's exactly what he meant.

**The End.**


End file.
